Still looking for some ghoulishly good cocktail recipes for the big Halloween party? What do you think about these three ideas - tricks or treats?

Honest reviews - good, bad, and everything in between - improve the online experience for all parties, from the producer to the reviewer to the reader who makes the final decision to buy or not. Here are my thoughts and personal policies on brand names, product reviews, endorsements and the like.

I wonder how different my life would be today if I hadn’t gotten Playboy’s New Host & Bar Book in 1979. This book never led me to a Bunny suit but it sure did make entertaining look inviting. I quickly fled my office job and began a 30-year career in the hospitality business.

The story of Tita, her family, and their tempestuous life on a ranch near the US/Mexico border is as captivating for its tales of forbidden love and dysfunctional family as it is for its magic and mysticism - Like Water for Chocolate is a timeless read I always look forward to!

Got chocolate on the brain? Try devilishly decadent chocolate-laced cocktails, including Hot Peppermint Patty, Gingerman, and African Coffee. Find these chocolate cocktails recipes here. . .

Sticker shock often turns buyers away from the largest bottles of liquor - the 1.75-liter (1.75 L) bottle. Once upon a time, this big guy was called a half gallon and, by any name, this bottle comes with the biggest price tag but it’s almost always the best buy on an ounce-for-ounce basis.

Want tropical drinks but not a fan of rum? Try a Sea Breeze, Salty Dog, Sea Dog, or a Yellow Parrot to bring the tropics home to you. Find recipes here.

Blue Hawaiian, Trade Winds, Round the World, Pirate Grog . . . thinking about pirates yet? These tropical cocktails set the pace every time you want to party like a pirate!

Ayyyy, mateys, September 19 is International Talk Like a Pirate Day and, in 2010, we can celebrate all weekend long!! What kind of grog will you be servin’ up?

Knowing a few basic measurements makes mixing drinks a real snap!